Return-Path: Delivered-To: andrew@sterlingcal.com Received: from reseller401.webserversystems.com by reseller401.webserversystems.com with LMTP id KC0oAOwtlmhOJw4AchKAPA (envelope-from ) for ; Fri, 08 Aug 2025 12:03:40 -0500 Return-path: Envelope-to: andrew@sterlingcal.com Delivery-date: Fri, 08 Aug 2025 12:03:40 -0500 Received: from o9.ptr9577.mail.beehiiv.com ([149.72.190.201]:8138) by reseller401.webserversystems.com with esmtps (TLS1.2) tls TLS_ECDHE_RSA_WITH_AES_128_GCM_SHA256 (Exim 4.98.1) (envelope-from ) id 1ukQVH-00000003uEf-0U4o for andrew@sterlingcal.com; Fri, 08 Aug 2025 12:03:39 -0500 DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=mail.beehiiv.com; h=content-type:date:from:mime-version:subject:reply-to:list-unsubscribe: list-unsubscribe-post:to:cc:content-type:date:from:subject:to; s=s1; bh=84V8l0L0Twx5RNhxUiw6CLgIYzvO29Ik6GjaB56Kwd4=; b=acDVymn1zMm8vffrAPTML0jkgUIcrYQJFLR8y+BM2bBDUM4TJNinV+BqevzVzhIt47GZ EdSbc3fS6pKP//mlKn2C4guDsheP1+1bbhMzbWB8Y0flVWu+gkPIqIiV9ierU0ilSUOJLB akm++yY39+v02znRZtiekQzY+EqqJFIumpIKWkcMl4f2pkaYg+8XwQcGou0N9FCu1rUDJ9 zKE5aqP311JSVavEPy6vNjwWEMyoGHpJzcxxj1BZLRr6xQ3gU10eZ17kS+9oHbIyOz/8RL qVlekfOU39G6Kwc/oup0qpVZJnbYyR6jaSg/ZWtKYClPK3AaEBNZxNk8WDCHLmnw== Received: by recvd-564db9f6b-9cxzd with SMTP id recvd-564db9f6b-9cxzd-1-68962DCC-85 2025-08-08 17:03:08.456285328 +0000 UTC m=+5617959.423342789 Received: from NDAyMzQxODk (unknown) by geopod-ismtpd-6 (SG) with HTTP id vTf-lHPAQOm0qYM76FY7eg Fri, 08 Aug 2025 17:03:08.408 +0000 (UTC) Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary=51d063a46be79b2a370636aa2ec43915d5cac913c45e51a81905773be0c4 Date: Fri, 08 Aug 2025 17:03:27 +0000 (UTC) From: Collin Stewart Mime-Version: 1.0 Message-ID: Subject: Keeping Your Aperture Wide Reply-To: Collin Stewart Feedback-ID: =?us-ascii?Q?98cdd858-1b6c-430d-b5ef-bbe91466584b=3Anewsletter=3A3c5b97ff-00a9-?= =?us-ascii?Q?4acc-916d-c137bca24b1d=3A23270855726497d?= List-Unsubscribe: =?us-ascii?Q?=3Cmailto=3A3c5b97ff-00a9-4acc-916d-c137bca24b1d+1d17dc26-c1df-44e?= =?us-ascii?Q?0-812a-883b6ad5b6bc+98cdd858-1b6c-430d-?= =?us-ascii?Q?b5ef-bbe91466584b=40unsub=2Ebeehiiv=2Ecom=3E=2C?= =?us-ascii?Q?_=3Chttps=3A=2F=2Ffoundersedition=2Eco=2Funsubscribe=2FeyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbG?= =?us-ascii?Q?ciOiJIUzI1NiJ9=2EeyJzdWJzY3JpYmVyX2lkIjoi?= =?us-ascii?Q?MWQxN2RjMjYtYzFkZi00NGUwLTgxMmEtODgzYjZ?= =?us-ascii?Q?hZDViNmJjIiwicG9zdF9pZCI6Ijk4Y2RkODU4LT?= =?us-ascii?Q?FiNmMtNDMwZC1iNWVmLWJiZTkxNDY2NTg0YiIsI?= =?us-ascii?Q?mxhc3RfcmVzb3VyY2VfZ3VpZCI6IlBvc3Q6OThj?= =?us-ascii?Q?ZGQ4NTgtMWI2Yy00MzBkLWI1ZWYtYmJlOTE0NjY?= =?us-ascii?Q?1ODRiIn0=2EIah7L5wmhW7bfZBatpdZLXXjIJxP56?= =?us-ascii?Q?69s2iIYs-v6S0=3E?= List-Unsubscribe-Post: List-Unsubscribe=One-Click sId: 3c5b97ff-00a9-4acc-916d-c137bca24b1d x-beehiiv-ids: =?us-ascii?Q?{=22account=5Fname=22=3A=22https=3A=2F=2Ffoundersedition=2Eco=2F=22=2C=22campaign=5Fid=22=3A=229?= =?us-ascii?Q?8cdd858-1b6c-430d-b5ef-bbe91466584b=22=2C=22c?= =?us-ascii?Q?ategory=22=3A=22newsletter=22=2C=22email=5Fgenerated=5F?= =?us-ascii?Q?at=22=3A1754672588=2C=22user=5Fid=22=3A=223c5b97ff-00a9?= =?us-ascii?Q?-4acc-916d-c137bca24b1d=22}?= x-beehiiv-type: newsletter x-list-id: 3c5b97ff-00a9-4acc-916d-c137bca24b1d x-list-owner: x-newsletter: https://foundersedition.co/p/keeping-your-aperture-wide x-newsletter-id: https://foundersedition.co/ x-newsletter-signup: https://foundersedition.co/subscribe X-SG-EID: =?us-ascii?Q?u001=2E7ozyt+tmjDsHnEocxX8pymFA2v5OOh2V4Pdr6hGVjZo99sLHT4OeEg7as?= =?us-ascii?Q?oEFtQzIa0qAOkk1QezFA4qrCcff9558yNK8x6zQ?= =?us-ascii?Q?0aLhxDCyAuB9kgcSLas3IIKR+fvCUJBBuKj9c1x?= =?us-ascii?Q?qpFA1GV5ucB2QA4wZMDmBhTKrlrGu9wJ47scEEr?= =?us-ascii?Q?Qcjtn4PFAdoTP=2FWVqIF=2FUcDiq6qwN0DAGRNoTlF?= =?us-ascii?Q?2Wd5OZwwbB9pAmbzh=2FzLFiBwi3JdbvOb4TzIj1d?= =?us-ascii?Q?Io=2FmCHs+nsJCYAZepy7K+dnIWnroePrkh7Do+sW?= =?us-ascii?Q?4GLt96v0=3D?= X-SG-ID: =?us-ascii?Q?u001=2ESdBcvi+Evd=2FbQef8eZF3BpTL9BgbK5wfSJMJGMsmprD1ZcmFObA4po1bG?= =?us-ascii?Q?aUE6gycJ+LfRoc8X0Wm0MSorFVcoWHrIixZYD9z?= =?us-ascii?Q?w25Z143eglkAJWbQrLxndYtch6lhNuMZAjzTdhS?= =?us-ascii?Q?+p7WkO424Ipk13CAa56YGNQl=2F2dtLQYxUwGX2fv?= =?us-ascii?Q?4HtyhbyGQjkkAtLTJL8PfIO5ZNuIcKZ2u+6=2FGsS?= =?us-ascii?Q?Jutemz=2F6IS9YUOsN5kSSxYEVuKcJ8jaN0l1KRY5?= =?us-ascii?Q?=2FCBrawbYVJI=2FOmoq0iuOFaxpVMoYiaxZM8W6PIk?= =?us-ascii?Q?KCB4XdPKtjM5DfPJzbBdOFhKB+uKzQpaus7xHtj?= =?us-ascii?Q?Heyq4l5eRpOdwaODI2gBuWgqnysgGjIMiwSoes=2F?= =?us-ascii?Q?H+kmOaGjTpp7r6E?= To: "andrew@sterlingcal.com" X-Entity-ID: u001.RuZ2+X9IBGtjUb8qq3teHQ== X-Spam-Status: No, score=-4.3 X-Spam-Score: -42 X-Spam-Bar: ---- X-Spam-Flag: NO --51d063a46be79b2a370636aa2ec43915d5cac913c45e51a81905773be0c4 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8 Mime-Version: 1.0 Hello Andrew,=20 _**Book update: **__122 pre-orders! Thank you to everyone that got their or= ders in last week, I continue to be blown away by your kind words and encou= ragement. _ _**Investor list (again): **__In case you missed last week=E2=80=99s email,= __I've updated my VC & PE list, but this time, I went and looked at the in= vestors themselves, found a list of their investments, boards they sit on, = and categorized the types of investments they've made. There are ~25k inves= tors all based in the USA. _ _You can order _[_the book_](https://www.amazon.com/Terrifying-Art-Finding-= Customers-Sleep-Deprived/dp/1774586134)_ here. Email me your receipt and I'= ll share the sheet with you. If you've already sent me your receipt, just r= eply back=E2=80=94I know who you are _=F0=9F=99=82_ _ Now to today=E2=80=99s email=E2=80=A6 One of the biggest mistakes I see early founders make in sales is jumping t= o conclusions too quickly=E2=80=94whether it's falling in love with a name = on the list and imagining them giving you money, or looking at someone's we= bsite and thinking "there's no way this is a real prospect." Whether you=E2= =80=99re building a prospecting campaign or trying to close a few deals, if= you haven=E2=80=99t closed many customers, the honest answer is: **you don= 't know yet**. ## The Unexpected Wins When I was growing Carb, I treated every reply like gold. Every lead like i= t might close. I had just come from my previous startup attempt where leads= were non-existent=E2=80=94a reply from a prospect was like a cold drink of= water in the middle of the desert. I did this not because I believed they = all would close, but because I had no idea which ones would. I "manufacture= d serendipity" by showing up fully and working each opportunity to the best= possible outcome. Some of the best deals came from places I didn't expect. I once had a prospect where I was confident our product wouldn=E2=80=99t wo= rk in their market so I told them so. Intellectual honesty in the sales pro= cess is a non-negotiable for me. They disagreed with me and still wanted to= try it. Say what you will about salespeople, but this one will tell you th= e truth, even if he=E2=80=99s wrong. And in this case, I was wrong. Super w= rong. This client ended up beating all our benchmarks, turned out to be our= first case study, and was one of our longest running clients. On the flip side, I've seen founders get burned by doing the opposite=E2=80= =94writing off prospects before they even get on a call because they didn't= fit a super narrow ideal customer profile, or because their first message = didn't land.=C2=A0 ## Evidence =3D Confidence in Your Entire Sales Motion Now zoom out: this isn't just about how you close=E2=80=94it's about how ev= idence drives confidence across your entire sales motion. The more evidence= you have, the more confident you can be in two critical areas: who to targ= et and how to message them (your prospecting pipeline), and how to qualify = and prioritize the opportunities you create (your sales pipeline). Here's how this plays out: **In your prospecting pipeline:** Evidence tells you which prospects are wo= rth pursuing and what messaging will resonate. Early on, you cast a wide ne= t because you don't know yet. As you collect data points=E2=80=94which titl= es respond, which industries engage, which pain points hit=E2=80=94you can = narrow your targeting and sharpen your messaging. **In your sales pipeline:** Evidence tells you how to qualify opportunities= and where to invest your time. Without historical data on what good looks = like, every prospect seems equally promising (or equally risky). With evide= nce, you can spot the patterns that predict real deals versus tire-kickers. The continuum works the same way in both: **High evidence =3D high confidence decisions.** Your targeting can be lase= r-focused because you know your ICP. Your messaging can be direct because y= ou know what resonates. Your qualification can be strict because you know w= hat good opportunities look like. **Low evidence =3D wide aperture required.** Broader targeting because you'= re still learning who cares. Multiple messaging angles because you don't kn= ow what will land. Generous qualification because you can't afford to miss = the unexpected winner. ## The Shift This shift isn't just tactical=E2=80=94it's philosophical. The evidence you= have (or don't have) should fundamentally change your approach: **High evidence =3D Direct Response:** "Here's what we do, here's why someo= ne like you needs it." You can make assumptions because they're based on pa= tterns from actual closed deals. **Low evidence =3D Relationship First:** You need to invest in creating val= ue and relationships before you ever try to sell anything. ## The Relationship-First Mindset Here's what most early-stage founders miss: relationship-first prospecting = takes more work than direct response. The deals take longer to enter your p= ipeline, and you have to actually invest time in creating real relationship= s. Whether it's interviewing them for customer development, inviting them o= n your podcast, or finding something else you can do together that creates = genuine value for them. The relationship-first mindset has a specific goal: establish a relationshi= p with a future prospect and either let them opt-in to the sales process na= turally, or ask them at the end of your first value-creating interaction=E2= =80=94not at the beginning. When your targeting is wide (because you don't have evidence yet), direct a= sk messaging tends to fall flat. You're reaching people with varied needs, = priorities, and contexts. Your assumptions won't always land. A CFO at a 50= -person startup has completely different pain points than a CFO at a 500-pe= rson company, even if they both fit your firmographic filters. Instead, use open-ended approaches that work regardless of their specific s= ituation. Ask for feedback on your approach. Offer genuine value=E2=80=94in= sights, connections, resources. Invite them to a podcast or roundtable wher= e they can learn something useful even if they never buy. Give them a reaso= n to talk that isn't contingent on them being in-market right now. ## The Math Let me show you why this matters with real numbers. Let's say you're doing = 500 prospects per month for 6 months: **Direct Approach:** * 0.5% reply rate, 30% positive responses * 3,000 total outreach =E2=86=92 15 replies =E2=86=92 **5 pipeline opportun= ities** * 2 weeks from prospect to pipeline * 100 hours total time investment **Relationship Approach:** * 5% reply rate, 80% positive responses * 3,000 total outreach =E2=86=92 150 replies =E2=86=92 **120 pipeline oppor= tunities** * 4 weeks from prospect to pipeline * 750 hours total time investment The relationship approach generates 26.7x more pipeline opportunities and i= s 3.6x more efficient per hour invested. Yes, it requires more time upfront= . But for early-stage founders who need to learn from customers and create = content with them, this is another win. The direct approach gives you 5 chances to learn what works. The relationsh= ip approach gives you 120 chances=E2=80=94plus deeper relationships that co= mpound over time. ## When You've Collected Enough Evidence So how do you know when to transition from relationship-first to direct res= ponse? It's simple: you look at your closed deals. The transition happens when you've closed deals that match specific company= and persona profiles. The more closed deals you have with similar characte= ristics, the higher your confidence can be. You start recognizing patterns:= "We consistently win with X type of company facing Y problem." This evidence comes from actual closed revenue=E2=80=94not just conversatio= ns, interest, or positive feedback. Until you have repeatable patterns in y= our closed deals, you haven't collected enough evidence to narrow your appr= oach. You can predict with reasonable accuracy which prospects will engage and wh= ich won't. Your messaging resonates consistently across a defined segment. = You're seeing repeatable patterns in objections, use cases, and buying proc= esses. ## The Long Game: Earning the Right to Be Direct Remember: this isn't about being inefficient. It's about being efficient at= the right thing. Early on, your most important job isn't closing deals (th= ough that's nice when it happens). It's learning fast enough to build somet= hing people actually want to buy. The founders who win long-term are the ones who earn the right to be direct= by first being generous. They collect evidence through actual closed deals= before making assumptions. They stay relationship-first until they know en= ough to be selective. The earlier you are, the more generous and open your approach needs to be. = You're not selling yet=E2=80=94you're collecting evidence. You're learning = what "good" looks like. This requires a particular kind of discipline: the = discipline of admitting you don't know what you don't know. Most founders struggle with this because it feels like weakness. We're supp= osed to have conviction, right? We're supposed to know our market inside an= d out. But there's a difference between having conviction about the problem= you're solving and having premature certainty about exactly who has that p= roblem and how they want it solved. The strongest founders I know hold both truths simultaneously: unwavering b= elief in their vision, paired with genuine curiosity about how that vision = should manifest in the real world. So until you _know_=E2=80=94until you have repeatable patterns in your clos= ed deals=E2=80=94don't narrow your view too early. Keep your aperture wide.= Treat every reply like it matters. Show up fully for each opportunity. Tha= t's how you manufacture serendipity and earn the right to go direct later. The most successful sales motion is the one built on evidence, not assumpti= ons. Start wide, learn fast, then direct your fire when you know where to a= im. Until next time, keep your aperture wide and your assumptions in check. Collin=C2=A0 PS - bonus tactic time, the second-best part of establishing so many relati= onships early on is access to the right people. These are folks that can gi= ve you advice when you=E2=80=99re considering a pivot, can refer you to oth= er folks that might be a good fit, and might one day become pipeline themse= lves. All it takes is a little [spreadsheet](https://docs.google.com/spread= sheets/d/1DE0fGKgzP-zd4Z4kyPOsHHQPvd9q5HDlQIWoQF48a3I/edit?gid=3D1314033796= #gid=3D1314033796) and remembering to drop them an email monthly=E2=80=A6 T= hat reminds me, I have a few nurture emails to send out myself today.=C2=A0 =E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94 You are reading a plain text version of this post. For the best experience,= copy and paste this link in your browser to view the post online: https://foundersedition.co/p/keeping-your-aperture-wide --51d063a46be79b2a370636aa2ec43915d5cac913c45e51a81905773be0c4 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/html; charset=utf-8 Mime-Version: 1.0 Keeping Your Aperture Wide
<= td align=3D"center" valign=3D"top" style=3D"border-width:0px 0px 0px 0px;bo= rder-style: solid; border-color: #FFFFFF;border-radius:10px 10px 0px 0px;ba= ckground-color:#FFFFFF;" class=3D"c">

August = 08, 2025   |   Read Online

Keeping Your Aperture Wide

= <= tr>
3D"share
 <= /tr>
3D"share
 
=3D"share
= 		 
3D""
<= tr>

High evidence =3D high confiden= ce decisions. Your target= ing can be laser-focused because you know your ICP. Your messaging can be d= irect because you know what resonates. Your qualification can be strict bec= ause you know what good opportunities look like.

Low evidence =3D wide apertu= re required. Broader targ= eting because you're still learning who cares. Multiple messaging angle= s because you don't know what will land. Generous qualification because= you can't afford to miss the unexpected winner.

<= /tr><= tr>=

Hello Andrew,

= 122 pre-orders! Thank you to everyone that got their orders in last week= , I continue to be blown away by your kind words and encouragement.

Investor list (agai= n): In case you mi= ssed last week=E2=80=99s email, I've updated my VC & PE list, but this time, I went and looke= d at the investors themselves, found a list of their investments, boards th= ey sit on, and categorized the types of investments they've made. There= are ~25k investors all based in the USA.

You can order the book here. Email me your receipt and I'll share the shee= t with you. If you've already sent me your receipt, just reply back=E2= =80=94I know who you are =F0=9F=99=82=C2=A0

Now to today=E2=80=99s email=E2=80=A6

One of the biggest mistakes I see early founders make in= sales is jumping to conclusions too quickly=E2=80=94whether it's falli= ng in love with a name on the list and imagining them giving you money, or = looking at someone's website and thinking "there's no way this= is a real prospect." Whether you=E2=80=99re building a prospecting ca= mpaign or trying to close a few deals, if you haven=E2=80=99t closed many c= ustomers, the honest answer is: you don't know yet.

The Unexpected Wins

When I was growing Carb, I treated every reply like gold. Every lea= d like it might close. I had just come from my previous startup attempt whe= re leads were non-existent=E2=80=94a reply from a prospect was like a cold = drink of water in the middle of the desert. I did this not because I believ= ed they all would close, but because I had no idea which ones would. I &quo= t;manufactured serendipity" by showing up fully and working each oppor= tunity to the best possible outcome. Some of the best deals came from place= s I didn't expect.

= I once had a prospect where I was confident our product wouldn=E2=80=99t wo= rk in their market so I told them so. Intellectual honesty in the sales pro= cess is a non-negotiable for me. They disagreed with me and still wanted to= try it. Say what you will about salespeople, but this one will tell you th= e truth, even if he=E2=80=99s wrong. And in this case, I was wrong. Super w= rong. This client ended up beating all our benchmarks, turned out to be our= first case study, and was one of our longest running clients.

On the flip side, I've seen fou= nders get burned by doing the opposite=E2=80=94writing off prospects before= they even get on a call because they didn't fit a super narrow ideal c= ustomer profile, or because their first message didn't land.=C2=A0

Evidence =3D Confidence in Your Entire Sales Motion

Now zoom out: this isn't just about how = you close=E2=80=94it's about how evidence drives confidence across your= entire sales motion. The more evidence you have, the more confident you ca= n be in two critical areas: who to target and how to message them (your pro= specting pipeline), and how to qualify and prioritize the opportunities you= create (your sales pipeline).

Here's how this plays out:

In your prospecting pipeline:= Evidence tells you which prospects = are worth pursuing and what messaging will resonate. Early on, you cast a w= ide net because you don't know yet. As you collect data points=E2=80=94= which titles respond, which industries engage, which pain points hit=E2=80= =94you can narrow your targeting and sharpen your messaging.

<= span style=3D"color:rgb(44, 62, 80);font-weight:700;">In your sales pipe= line: Evidence tells you = how to qualify opportunities and where to invest your time. Without histori= cal data on what good looks like, every prospect seems equally promising (o= r equally risky). With evidence, you can spot the patterns that predict rea= l deals versus tire-kickers.

The continuum works the same way in both:

The Shift

This shift isn't just tactical=E2=80=94it's phi= losophical. The evidence you have (or don't have) should fundamentally = change your approach:

High evidence =3D Direct Response: "Here's what we do, here's why so= meone like you needs it." You can make assumptions because they're= based on patterns from actual closed deals.

Low evidence =3D Relationship Firs= t: You need to invest in = creating value and relationships before you ever try to sell anything.

The = Relationship-First Mindset

Here's what most early-stage founders miss: relationship-first pr= ospecting takes more work than direct response. The deals take longer to en= ter your pipeline, and you have to actually invest time in creating real re= lationships. Whether it's interviewing them for customer development, i= nviting them on your podcast, or finding something else you can do together= that creates genuine value for them.

The relationship-first mindset has a specific goal: establis= h a relationship with a future prospect and either let them opt-in to the s= ales process naturally, or ask them at the end of your first value-creating= interaction=E2=80=94not at the beginning.

When your targeting is wide (because you don't have= evidence yet), direct ask messaging tends to fall flat. You're reachin= g people with varied needs, priorities, and contexts. Your assumptions won&= #39;t always land. A CFO at a 50-person startup has completely different pa= in points than a CFO at a 500-person company, even if they both fit your fi= rmographic filters.

Ins= tead, use open-ended approaches that work regardless of their specific situ= ation. Ask for feedback on your approach. Offer genuine value=E2=80=94insig= hts, connections, resources. Invite them to a podcast or roundtable where t= hey can learn something useful even if they never buy. Give them a reason t= o talk that isn't contingent on them being in-market right now.<= /p>

The Math

Let me show you why this matters with real= numbers. Let's say you're doing 500 prospects per month for 6 mont= hs:

= Direct Approach:

  • 0.5% reply rate, 30% pos= itive responses

  • 3,000 total outreach =E2=86=92 15 = replies =E2=86=92 5 pipeline opportunities

  • 2 weeks from = prospect to pipeline

  • 100 hours total time investm= ent

Relationship Approach:

  • 5%= reply rate, 80% positive responses

  • 3,000 total ou= treach =E2=86=92 150 replies =E2=86=92 120 pipeline opportunities

    • =

  • 4 weeks from prospect to pipeline

  • 750 ho= urs total time investment

The relationship approach generates 26.7x more pipeline = opportunities and is 3.6x more efficient per hour invested. Yes, it require= s more time upfront. But for early-stage founders who need to learn from cu= stomers and create content with them, this is another win.

The direct approach gives you 5 chances= to learn what works. The relationship approach gives you 120 chances=E2=80= =94plus deeper relationships that compound over time.

When You've = Collected Enough Evidence

So how do you know when to transition from relationship-first to dire= ct response? It's simple: you look at your closed deals.

<= span style=3D"color:rgb(44, 62, 80);">The transition happens when you'v= e closed deals that match specific company and persona profiles. The more c= losed deals you have with similar characteristics, the higher your confiden= ce can be. You start recognizing patterns: "We consistently win with X= type of company facing Y problem."

This evidence comes from actual closed revenue=E2=80=94n= ot just conversations, interest, or positive feedback. Until you have repea= table patterns in your closed deals, you haven't collected enough evide= nce to narrow your approach.

You can predict with reasonable accuracy which prospects will engage = and which won't. Your messaging resonates consistently across a defined= segment. You're seeing repeatable patterns in objections, use cases, a= nd buying processes.

The Long Game: Earning the Right to Be Direct

Remember: this isn'= t about being inefficient. It's about being efficient at the right thin= g. Early on, your most important job isn't closing deals (though that&#= 39;s nice when it happens). It's learning fast enough to build somethin= g people actually want to buy.

The founders who win long-term are the ones who earn the right to b= e direct by first being generous. They collect evidence through actual clos= ed deals before making assumptions. They stay relationship-first until they= know enough to be selective.

The earlier you are, the more generous and open your approach needs = to be. You're not selling yet=E2=80=94you're collecting evidence. Y= ou're learning what "good" looks like. This requires a partic= ular kind of discipline: the discipline of admitting you don't know wha= t you don't know.

M= ost founders struggle with this because it feels like weakness. We're s= upposed to have conviction, right? We're supposed to know our market in= side and out. But there's a difference between having conviction about = the problem you're solving and having premature certainty about exactly= who has that problem and how they want it solved.

The strongest founders I know hold both truths = simultaneously: unwavering belief in their vision, paired with genuine curi= osity about how that vision should manifest in the real world.

So until you know=E2=80=94until you have repeatable patterns in your closed deals=E2= =80=94don't narrow your view too early. Keep your aperture wide. Treat = every reply like it matters. Show up fully for each opportunity. That's= how you manufacture serendipity and earn the right to go direct later.

The most successful sales = motion is the one built on evidence, not assumptions. Start wide, learn fas= t, then direct your fire when you know where to aim.

Until next time, keep your aperture wide and = your assumptions in check.

Collin=C2=A0

PS = - bonus tactic time, the second-best part of establishing so many relations= hips early on is access to the right people. These are folks that can give = you advice when you=E2=80=99re considering a pivot, can refer you to other = folks that might be a good fit, and might one day become pipeline themselve= s. All it takes is a little <= a class=3D"link" href=3D"https://link.mail.beehiiv.com/ss/c/u001.VPQbJ-t6Sb= EWV-D-Q4fReNs0Bx7eJS6zYItpuswmpPFLfhCwX9hE_RKR5VdEk6j1m3d0Kgl7NW1OnAx8frnqo= PqHAz4Uq5r8EnPV3q5gm6-BRs6gJdVUOpgfhZJte9OD9Pkw6qs75jx4QfZ2HYFYgP2oWgRlaiRL= Di16qkiqqV_HOJHVfCnKlEJ9eX7jGKT1wQNsY6Jk68H3W4P7pSZH-fYFLNSAYZ2JsKmV6vsKkv7= cydBC0tLBzTqFw3dqqpSAsxrEoK6t_afou50kzZ72r26_s0jQglV0I6TXYe56U-y4KI6MJuR4wd= xRl86z71qphIcoq1CSz691OjKQzl8fN1rFRkfVdkAMnnP4j37hsWA/4iv/tPjzHw2GSOaTrgc78= 4l_aQ/h6/h001.jQVNAwQKMOgIivSnhZ5EN2PZmpflYdG0HrtmaoOva3s" target=3D"_blank= " rel=3D"noopener noreferrer nofollow">spreadsheet<= span style=3D"color:rgb(44, 62, 80);"> and remembering to drop them an emai= l monthly=E2=80=A6 That reminds me, I have a few nurture emails to send out= myself today.=C2=A0

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